13 Haunted Places in Alaska That Will Chill You to the Bone
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Alaska is beautiful, wild…and haunted.
Beyond the sweeping tundra, calving glaciers, and wandering moose, there’s a shadowy side to the Last Frontier that doesn’t show up on tourist brochures.
Think ghost towns with stories that never died, abandoned buildings with flickering lights, and whispers in the night that have no source!
If you’re curious about the most haunted places in Alaska, I have some stories for you. Some of these come from firsthand witness accounts. Some are passed down from local lore. Others are just flat-out eerie and impossible to explain.
From Anchorage to ghost towns tucked deep in the Wrangell Mountains, here are the most haunted places in Alaska that might just make you sleep with one eye open!
1. Portlock – One of the Most Haunted Places in Alaska’s History
Portlock isn’t just another abandoned town—it’s one of the most chilling places in Alaska’s history. In the 1940s, villagers began disappearing under violent and unexplained circumstances.
Some were found dead, others never turned up at all. People spoke of large, shadowy creatures in the woods and a darkness that seemed to hang over the entire area.
Eventually, everyone left. Tools were dropped mid-use. Homes were boarded up or simply walked away from. No one lives there now, and even today, many locals refuse to go near it.
Portlock is extremely remote, accessible only by boat or floatplane, and the area is rugged and unforgiving. If you ever try to visit, be prepared—and be respectful. Whatever happened out there left a mark, and it’s not the kind of place you treat lightly.
If there’s one haunted Alaska town that makes people lower their voices when they talk about it, it’s this one.
Can you visit? No. The land is privately owned by the nearby Native village of Nanwalek and is not open to the public. Out of respect for the community and the history, visitors should not attempt to access it without explicit permission and local guidance
2. Wendy Williamson Auditorium – A Paranormal Hotspot in Anchorage
Located on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus, this auditorium is the stuff of student nightmares.
Staff and visitors report five distinct spirits—among them a woman in white, a little girl, and an aggressive man who’s allegedly pushed women down the stairs.
Phantom piano music, footsteps in empty halls, and reflections where no one stands have all been noted. A visiting psychic even claimed the building harbors “violent energy.”
Can you visit? Yes! Events are hosted year-round, and locals often whisper about the spirits that stick around long after curtain call.
3. Kennecott Ghost Town – A Classic Haunted Place in Alaska’s Wilderness
Remote and tucked into the Wrangell Mountains, Kennecott is one of Alaska’s most iconic ghost towns. Once a booming copper mining company town in the early 1900s, it was abandoned practically overnight when the mine shut down in the 1930s.
Today, the empty mill building towers above the glacier moraine like a skeleton. The tunnels are silent. The air feels different here—charged, like it’s holding onto something.
There are stories about the ghosts of miners still wandering the upper floors of the mill building, and some visitors swear they’ve seen figures in the windows of cabins no one has entered in decades.
Some weathered old cabins sat abandoned for years. I used to walk past them, and it was like the air was heavy with something you couldn’t shake.
They’ve all been renovated now, but I’ll be honest: even after dozens of visits to Kennecott and nearly two decades of spending time in McCarthy, I still sometimes feel that energy when I pass by.
Can you visit? Yes! It’s part of a national historic landmark and open to visitors seasonally. You can even take a Kennecott Mill Town tour!
4. Alaskan Hotel & Bar in Juneau – A Historic Hotel with Ghostly Guests
If you’re chasing real chills in Juneau, skip the saloon and head straight for the Alaskan Hotel. Built in 1913, it’s the city’s oldest operating hotel—and easily one of its most haunted.
Room 315 is infamous after a 2007 incident where a U.S. Navy sailor, reportedly disturbed by something unseen, broke a third-story window and leapt out in terror. He survived, but the story still echoes through the halls.
Guests and staff have reported shadowy figures, disembodied voices, and a woman in white drifting past the bar. Paranormal investigators from Portals to Hell captured unexplained activity in the basement, and employees openly admit some rooms feel…off.
Ghosts, then a Grog?
If you’re brave enough to stay at the Alaskan Hotel and still have your wits about you, stroll just a few minutes down South Franklin Street to the Red Dog Saloon. It’s one of Juneau’s quirkiest bars—and said to be haunted by a mischievous spirit of its own.
Can you visit? Yes. It’s fully operational and located right downtown, but don’t be surprised if something otherworldly checks in with you.
5. Fairbanks Memorial Hospital – Night Shifts at Alaska’s Creepiest Hospital
I gave birth to my first child here, and it was just a hospital, fluorescent lights, beeping monitors, the usual whirlwind of birth and recovery. But talk to longtime staff or nurses on the night shift, and a different story starts to take shape.
There have been reports of call buttons going off in empty rooms, footsteps echoing down the halls when no one’s there, and a figure in white seen moving silently past nurses’ stations—always just out of reach.
One nurse swears she heard a lullaby playing faintly from a locked storage room. Another saw a flicker of movement in a room that hadn’t been used in days.
Even if you’re not a believer, it’s hard to deny that hospitals carry energy—especially in a place like Fairbanks, where winter nights stretch on forever and the silence can feel endless.
Fairbanks Memorial might not be the oldest or most famous haunted place in Alaska, but if you ask around quietly, the stories are there.
Can you visit? No, it’s an active hospital. No public tours (and probably not where you want to ghost hunt).
6. Buckner Building, Whittier – The Eeriest Abandoned Structure in Whittier
If you’ve ever taken the one-lane tunnel to Whittier and stepped into that moody seaside fog, you know this place already feels like the setting of a horror movie.
I’ve been there myself, and just driving through the 2.5 mile tunnel for 7 minutes feels eerie enough. But what really sticks with people is the looming shell of the Buckner Building. I stared at it from the water as we pulled away from Whittier on the ferry to Valdez, and even from that distance, it gave me the creeps.
Nicknamed the “City Under One Roof,” it was once a self-contained military complex with everything from a bowling alley to a movie theater. Now? It’s a crumbling, graffiti-covered husk that gives off serious post-apocalyptic energy.
Most locals now live in the nearby Begich Towers, but the Buckner Building is where the ghost stories linger. People who’ve dared to explore (despite it being off-limits) report cold spots, distant voices, and a heavy, almost oppressive feeling inside. Even just seeing it from the harbor gave me goosebumps.
It’s not just one of the most unique buildings in Alaska—it’s one of the creepiest. This place isn’t your typical haunted house, but it might be one of the most unsettling buildings in Alaska.
Begich Towers holds nearly the entire population of Whittier. A town in one building? That alone is enough to spark ghost stories.
Locals talk about strange noises, ghost sightings, and the eerie feeling that you’re never really alone. It’s urban legend-level weird, but that’s exactly what makes it one of the more curious Alaska haunted places.
Can you visit? Technically no. It’s abandoned and marked unsafe. Viewing from a distance is best.
7. Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage – Where Luxury Meets Legends
This haunted hotel in Anchorage, Alaska, may offer luxury and skyline views, but it also comes with a chilling reputation.
Guests and staff alike have reported seeing a lady in white gliding silently through the halls, only to vanish when approached. Though her identity isn’t officially documented, many believe she’s the spirit of a guest who died by suicide in the 1970s. Her presence is said to be accompanied by an overwhelming sense of sorrow.
One longtime doorman confessed he avoids the 10th floor after dusk—he once saw her standing motionless at the end of the hallway before she disappeared without a sound. And one security guard? He quit on the spot after an encounter he’s never spoken about.
Elevators move without passengers. Doors open and close on their own. If haunted hotels in Alaska intrigue you, this one earns its spot every single time.
Can you visit? Yes. It’s a functioning luxury hotel. Book a stay…if you dare.
8. The Van Gilder Hotel, Seward – Haunted Tales from Seward’s Coast
One of the most haunted hotels in Alaska, the Van Gilder has a long history of unexplained activity.
A woman named Fannie was reportedly murdered here in the 1950s, and some guests still hear her footsteps pacing the hallway or catch a glimpse of a woman standing silently at the end of the bed.
It’s become a hot spot for paranormal investigators, and the front desk staff have more than a few tales of spooky happenings they won’t recount after dark.
Can you visit? Yes, open to guests. It’s a popular stop for paranormal tours.
9. Independence Mine – Echoes of the Past in Hatcher Pass
High in the Talkeetna Mountains, the abandoned buildings of Independence Mine sit quietly under a blanket of fog, tucked into the windswept tundra above Hatcher Pass.
It was once a bustling gold mining operation, now it’s a state historical park you can walk through, and honestly? It’s spooky even on a bluebird day.
Visitors have reported hearing footsteps on gravel paths with no one around, doors creaking open on still days, and cold spots in bunkhouses that haven’t housed miners in decades. Some even say they’ve heard voices echoing from deep inside the tunnels.
There’s no flashy ghost tour here—just the eeriness of a place frozen in time. Creaky wood, rusting equipment, and the hum of wind through broken windows.
Independence Mine might not be known as one of Alaska’s most haunted places, but if you’ve ever stood up there alone, you know: something lingers.
Can you visit? Yes, it is now a state historical park. Open seasonally; some buildings are accessible.
10. Red Onion Saloon, Skagway – Ghost Stories Still Walk These Gold Rush Streets
Skagway might look like a perfectly preserved Gold Rush town, but under the charming boardwalks and saloon doors lurks a haunted Alaska town brimming with ghostly energy.
The Red Onion Saloon is home to Lydia, the spirit of a former brothel madam. Lydia isn’t just any ghost—she’s said to still watch over the other “girls,” protecting the upstairs quarters she once ran.
Paranormal investigators have documented unexplained cold spots near her old room, and a former bartender confided that she’d often catch the scent of perfume drifting through the air before anyone had opened the doors. Even skeptics admit there’s something oddly maternal about the presence upstairs.
And then there’s Soapy Smith, the infamous con artist gunned down in a shootout, who reportedly still lingers near the very spot where his Wild West reign ended.
Can you visit? Yes! Skagway is a cruise port town. The Red Onion Saloon operates seasonally as a bar/museum.
11. Eklutna Cemetery, Anchorage – Where Tradition and Spirits Intertwine
Eklutna Cemetery isn’t just eerie, it’s sacred. This colorful resting place blends Russian Orthodox and Dena’ina Athabascan traditions, most visibly through its striking “spirit houses”—small, brightly painted wooden structures placed over graves.
These houses honor the soul’s journey from this life to the next, serving as a symbolic shelter during the transition.
Locals say the whispers sometimes heard on windless days aren’t ghostly wails, but spirits still crossing over. Visitors have reported cold spots, strange images in photographs, and whispered prayers with no one else around.
The air feels charged here, not just with ghost stories, but with reverence. It’s one of the most spiritually potent haunted places in Alaska.
Can you visit? Yes. It’s open to the public, but this is a sacred space. Be extremely respectful.
12. The Abandoned Igloo Hotel, Cantwell – One of the Most Mysterious Haunted Places in Alaska
I went inside this eerie structure years ago, but when we returned in summer 2024, it was roped off and posted as private property with a lot more graffiti on it.
Still, it’s hard to drive past without getting chills. Tucked off the Parks Highway, the Igloo Hotel was never finished—but that didn’t stop it from becoming one of Alaska’s most unusual haunted houses.
Broken windows, sagging walls, and the sheer isolation make this place feel like the set of a horror movie. People swear they hear voices and movement inside, even when it’s clearly empty.
Can you visit? No, it is private property with visible “No Trespassing” signs. View from the road only.
13. Nightmute School – Alaska’s Creepiest Urban Legend
This tiny Yup’ik village holds one of the eeriest school-related ghost stories in Alaska. In the 1990s, a janitor at the Nightmute School claimed to hear desks scraping across the floor in empty classrooms, doors slamming on their own, and the unmistakable sound of children laughing long after dark.
What makes this tale especially chilling is how many staff backed it up. Multiple teachers reported unexplained sounds, flickering lights, and the feeling of being watched when walking the halls alone.
Over the years, the story has grown into a local legend, shared in hushed tones during long winter nights.
You won’t find a ghost tour here, and Nightmute isn’t a tourist stop. But if you talk to someone from the region, don’t be surprised if they mention the haunted school that still gives people the chills.
Can you visit? No, it’s an active school in a small village. This one’s more local lore than tourist stop.
👻 Visiting Alaska during spooky season? From haunted walking tours to ghostly pub crawls, Alaska gets into the Halloween spirit in more ways than one. Check out these Halloween events across Alaska!
FAQs About Haunted Alaska Places
What’s the most haunted place in Alaska?
Portlock, is the most haunted place in Alaska, hands down. This abandoned village was deserted after a wave of violent deaths and eerie disappearances in the 1940s. Locals still avoid the area—and many refuse to even talk about it.
Are there haunted hotels in Anchorage?
Absolutely there are haunted hotels in Anchorage! Hotel Captain Cook is infamous for its Lady in White, while the Wendler Building has its own spine-chilling stories. Guests have reported shadowy figures, unexplained noises, and elevators that seem to have a mind of their own. Some even check out early.
Can you visit Alaska’s ghost towns?
Yes, many of Alaska’s ghost towns are open to the public. Kennecott is a favorite, especially for its haunting beauty and historical tours. But some towns, like Portlock, are off-limits or on private land. Always check accessibility and remember: ghost towns aren’t theme parks. Respect the space.
Does Alaska have a lot of ghost stories?
Yes, Alaska has a lot of ghost stories. Alaska’s isolation, Gold Rush history, and rich Indigenous traditions have created a perfect storm of ghost lore. From tragic deaths to spiritual legends, the state is full of stories that have been passed down—and still whispered—generation after generation.
Final Thoughts: Alaska Is Beautiful and Bone-Chilling
I love this state with all my heart, but I’ll admit there are some haunted places in Alaska I wouldn’t want to be after dark.
Whether you’re a skeptic or a full-on believer, the stories and the settings behind these ghostly sites are unforgettable—and they’re part of what makes Alaska so uniquely captivating.
Want even more haunted history? Check out my deep dives on haunted Anchorage and haunted hotels in Alaska (coming soon).
Hi I live in Ketchikan, Alaska and I agree this state is beautiful and I would like to visit haunted places here.
Same! I am on a mission to visit many more of them 🙂